Changes at West

Approaching June, and the end of a pandemic-filled year, construction began to fix and modernize parts of the school building. Starting with the tennis courts, which were demolished at the start of summer, alongside the new bells being installed soon thereafter. Meanwhile, the school opted to finish fixing the roof of the E-Wing, notorious for leaking once heavy rain fell or snow melted in the early spring. Although these modifications were costly, students and staff approached them with mixed opinions, ranging from annoyance to enjoyment. These choices, completed in an empty facility in the summer, were meant to fix issues that have been set aside for far too long. 

Counting down the weeks before school was let out in June, families within the district watched as crews chopped down the pine trees standing on the corner of Southland Avenue and North Westfield Street, where they bordered the old tennis courts. Construction crews spent countless hours in the summer heat, digging up the old blacktop and replacing it with fresh concrete, repainting the ground to become a bright red and blue, all finishing up to become a safe place for the tennis team to play. Additionally, lights were added to the courts to make playing at night more efficient. Unfortunately, the tennis team couldn’t practice at West until the construction was finished, moving practice to North High School until the beginning of August, right in the middle of the tennis season.

“I am really glad the tennis courts got redone because we don’t have to deal with all of the cracks anymore,” sophomore Angelina Vu said. “This is also the first time I’ve seen red and blue tennis courts. The new courts are really nice and the lights are definitely a plus.” 

Finally repaired after 50 years, and costing the school around $740,000, the new tennis courts provide a safe environment for players to flourish, helping both the team practice and play and allow for gym classes to run smoothly.

Unlike the brand new tennis courts, there was one modification that brought conflict. The school had made many changes to its PA system over the summer, trading in analog clocks for bright digital ones. After school finished in June, crews had come into the school and added these new clocks. Although these clocks had been in place for over three months, as soon as school began, students and staff pointed out faults in the system: the bell would ring at the wrong times or the numbers would flash.

“I hate them. Absolutely hate them,” said an anonymous sophomore. “I miss the analog clocks.”

 The anonymous student also complained about the bells being silent, especially during the lunch periods.

The school made a step towards modernizing through these clocks after a year filled with virtual and in-person learning, with future school years progressing into the digital age. As many miss the old, simple clocks, others rejoice in the switch to digital. 

Just like the old PA system, the E-Wing roof has gone through many repairs. No amount of maintenance would prevent leakage - only a gut job would suffice. Throughout June, classrooms were being emptied, with some of the remaining furniture covered to prevent damage. Construction crews came in, taking apart the old roof and replacing it with a brand new one instead of resorting to their old method of layering tar upon it. The roof was completed, for the most part, once school began, though there were still finalizing repairs to be made. These repairs created extra noise throughout the school day, with some finding it a minor inconvenience. 

“I think it is a distraction because there could be tests going on and some students need mostly silence when it comes to said tests,” senior Sam Forbes said. “I know some teachers have gotten mad over it too. But I don’t think there will be any more problems with leaking.” 

As winter approaches, most hope the amount of snow doesn’t cause any more leaking, an even more significant factor when Wisconsin’s heavy rainstorms begin. With the amount of money budgeted into the repair of the roof, some view the probability of continued annual leaking to be slim.

Throughout the pandemic, time was available to repair the school. The past summer had allowed the school to follow along with their plans, resolving three issues: new tennis courts, new clocks, and a new roof. Despite being costly, these modifications created a safer environment for the students and the tennis team. Although not all students looked at these modifications with a positive view, they are still helpful to the learning environment and easy to adapt to. “I’m excited to see what the school decided to fix next. I think there are endless possibilities,” an anonymous junior said.

By Ruby Pluchinsky

Oshkosh West Index Volume 118 Issue 1

October 6th, 2021